About Our Judges

Dolly Hannon – S, R/WD

A graduate from Colorado State University with a B.S. in Horticulture and a minor in Animal Science, Janet “Dolly” Hannon has trained and taught primarily dressage and combined training at Table Mountain Ranch in Golden, Colorado for over 30 years. She now teaches and trains at Legacy valley Farm in Arvada, Co. She is a USDF certified Instructor through Fourth Level with USDF Platinum and Diamond Diplomas for attendance at university programs, and is a USDF bronze, silver and gold medalist—with several students also attaining all three medals on horses they trained under Dolly’s guidance.

Dolly is a USEF S/Dressage judge, with additional training in Young horse, equitation, and Freestyle judging. She judges on average 27 shows a year across the US and Canada, and gives on average 20 clinics and educational programs per year across the country. Last year, Dolly judged the USDF national finals in Lexington, KY.

Chair of the USDF Freestyle Committee since 2011, Dolly has worked on that committee since 2006. She is also a former member of the USDF Judges Committee, and helped develop and rewrite the USDF continuing education program for L graduates and judges on the judging of freestyles.​Dolly is also a USEF R judge in Western Dressage and helped revise the 2017 WDAA tests. She taught the first WDAA judges group apprentice program in 2015.

Debbie Riehl-Rodriquez – S, R/DSHB

Debbie has been teaching, training and judging dressage since 1973. A graduate of Meredith Manor School of Horsemanship, Debbie lives in Golden Colorado but travels extensively around the U.S. and Canada judging and teaching clinics. Debbie is a USEF S/Dressage judge, R sport horse breeding judge and a member of the USDF L faculty for judges training. Still an active competitor, she has won numerous Horse of the Year awards both nationally and locally from Training Level through Grand Prix. Debbie enjoys teaching all levels and working with all breeds. As well as various warmbloods, she has trained and shown Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Appaloosas, Andalusians, Morgans, Friesians and even Saddlebreds. She has trained several horses through Grand Prix and has earned her USDF bronze, silver and gold medals. Debbie is also a USEF Western Dressage Judge and teaches at the WDAA annual seminar for judge training.

Gwen Ka’awaloa – r, r/WD, R/DSHB

Gwen is a USEF Licensed r Dressage judge and R sport horse judge, as well as a r Western Dressage judge. She is a USDF Certified Instructor through Fourth Level, and is a USDF bronze, silver, and gold medalist as well as a AHSA Hunt Seat Medalist.

Riding since 8 years old, Gwen has spent the last 35 years concentrating on improving knowledge and riding skills, working with several well-known clinicians and trainers. In 2012, she trained and competed a horse to Grand Prix, and now she is working on upgrading her judging credentials.

As a trainer and instructor, she strives to help both the horse and rider to enjoy the journey of dressage through positive reinforcement and clear, achievable goals. Gwen's students have earned their Bronze and Silver medals as well as Rocky Mountain Dressage and USDF Year End Awards. Students include Junior/Young Riders in both Dressage and Eventing, several of which have qualified and attended the Junior/Young Rider Championships. Adult Amateur Riders compete in both Dressage, Eventing and Western Dressage.

"As a judge, I enjoy watching horses and the training needed to perform a quality test. When a horse and rider demonstrate harmony and skill I am thrilled to give that high score. It is a pleasure and privilege to judge horses and riders."

For the past two years, our footing has been highly complimented by our Technical Delegates and Judges, declared on par with international competitions.

The new General Store concession stand located in Pavilion 2 (in the stall area) is a super convenient place for competitors to get snacks and supplies like stall shavings and mats.

Lancaster Event Center - Lincoln, NE

The many exciting changes to the Lancaster Event Center for this year’s Cornhusker Classic are promising to be an event you will not want to miss. From newly added amenities for competitors and upgraded lodging for the horses, the Classic is prepared to be the show of the season.

General Store in the stall area!Since 2016, Pavilion 2 now hosts a convenient General Store concessions location to serve competitors. Centrally located and featuring expanded hours to meet the needs of those caring for their horses in the stalling area, visitors now can order shavings, camping, rubber stall mat rentals, and Nixall disinfectant alongside their bottled beverages, snacks, and hot food items. Additional concessions locations, all upgraded and redecorated in the past year, are located in Pavilion 3, adjacent to Amy Countryman, and next to the Multi-Purpose Arena with hours custom-designed around each class.

Lots of stalls on dirt—plus stall mats available!There will be excellent availability of stalls on dirt as the Cornhusker Classic has reserved the entire grounds for our 2016 Memorial Day weekend show. Double (20’ x 10’) stalls are available for just $60/ night (compared to $40 for a single stall). Portable interlocking rubber stall mats are also available to rent for your stay and don’t forget that all stalls will be professionally disinfected before our show begins.

Excellent footing!Arena footing continues to excel under new management. The Lancaster Event Center’s new Kiser DragMaster equipment offers consistent depth and prevents ridges from forming. Additional sand is being added as needed, and a rock removal service is hired just before horse show season begins each year. Trained footing specialists are now scheduled to be available during shows to work the arena under show management’s guidance, and show management has a walk-through scheduled prior to the Classic to allow for any last minute adjustments to moisture content. Footing in the two show arenas and two full-size warm-up arenas are of the same composition and will be worked in the same way to ensure consistency.

We Need Volunteers!

Whether you are planning to ride in this year’s Cornhusker Classic or come watch a friend, there are many opportunities for you to get involved as an NDA volunteer at the Classic this year. We have steadily grown each year and we need your help to make this event a success. We have always received compliments from outside competitors on the graciousness of our staff and we want to continue to uphold that image.

As a show volunteer at the Classic you will be able to get to know your fellow dressage enthusiasts and gain the satisfaction of knowing that your contribution of time has been invaluable in helping NDA put on a dressage competition that we can all be proud of. This year, we want the Classic to ​be a reflection of how much growth NDA has experienced, which means we have the need for more volunteers than ever.

Please mark your calendar for May 24-26, 2019. Online signup for volunteer spots will be available soon!All volunteers donating 4+ hours of their time will receive a free 42nd Classic show t-shirt.

Changes to regulations for hauling horses for hobby purposes

Recently, Nebraska State Patrol has been inundated with calls regarding applicability of Federal Safety Regulations when hauling horses for hobby purposes. This may be due in part to the recent changes in the log book regulations and the use of Electronic Logging Devices as required by a recent rule change, and the notoriety of the agricultural exemptions provided in that rule. Social media outlets have, in some cases, misrepresented this issue—here is some clarity from the State Patrol themselves:

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) governs the safe operation of large trucks and buses, including some agricultural and farm trucks, depending on size and use. A rigid definition of some of the regulations makes it appear that those who haul horses for shows are automatically required to abide by all regulations, including things like log books and CDL for the vehicles they drive. In many cases, this is simply not a fact, and the FMCSA has produced a document and resources on their website that address this issue in detail and explain an exception that exists, and has for quite some time. Linked below is one of the more concise documents that should assist you in determining if you need to adhere to Federal regulations regarding the movement of your horses. Please pay special attention to the first paragraph – it essentially states that if you haul horses for pleasure, and there is not a business or commercial enterprise involved (like breeders, brokers, etc) you are exempted from the regulations that require CDL and log book, among other things. For most who haul to horse shows for pleasure, even if there is some type of monetary award of scholarship available, the exemption is applicable.

Please review the attached document and web links. If you have questions, staff at Nebraska State Patrol are happy to assist.